Controlling and manipulating groupings in a multi-zone media system

• US 8,483,853 B1
• Filed: 09/11/2007
• Issued: 07/09/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 09/12/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sonos, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Sonos, Inc.
• Inventors: Lambourne, Robert A.
• Primary Examiner(s): MCCORD, PAUL C
• Application Number:
  US11/853,790
• Time in Patent Office: 2,128 Days
• Field of Search: 700/94
• US Class Current: 700/94
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 15/02 electric
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04842 Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements G06F3/0482 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/16 Sound input; Sound output speech processing G10L
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/165 Management of the audio stream, e.g. setting of volume, audio stream path
• CPC Class Codes: H03G 1/02 Remote control of amplification, tone or bandwidth combined with remote tuning or selection of resonant circuits H03J
• CPC Class Codes: H03G 7/00 Volume compression or expansion in amplifiers frequency dependent H03G9/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/80 characterised by transmission among terminal devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/43615 Interfacing a Home Network, e.g. for connecting the client to a plurality of peripherals home Audio Video Interoperability [HAVI] data switching networks H04L12/2805
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2227/005 Audio distribution systems for home, i.e. multi-room use
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2430/01 Aspects of volume control, not necessarily automatic, in sound systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 27/00 Public address systems circuits for preventing acoustic reaction H04R3/02; circuits for distributing signals to loudspeakers H04R3/12; monitoring or testing arrangements for public address systems H04R29/007; amplifiers H03F
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 3/12 for distributing signals to two or more loudspeakers specially adapted for hearing aids H04R25/407

Abstract

In general, techniques of controlling a plurality of multimedia players in groups are disclosed. According to one aspect of the present invention, a mechanism is provided to allow a user to group some of the players according to a theme or scene, where each of the players is located in a zone. When the scene is activated, the players in the scene react in a synchronized manner. For example, the players in the scene are all caused to play a multimedia source or music in a playlist, wherein the multimedia source may be located anywhere on a network.

Claims

1. A multimedia controller including a processor, the controller configured to:

display a plurality of zone names for user selection via a display interface, each zone name of the plurality of zone names representing a particular zone that contains at least one player configured for multimedia playback in that zone, the plurality of zones including at least a player configured to retrieve a first multimedia output from a first multimedia source or to retrieve a second multimedia output from a second multimedia source, and wherein each player is coupled to a first local area network;

facilitate formation of a zone group by associating at least two of the plurality of zones, the zone group associated with a zone group configuration characterizing the zone group, the zone group configuration identifying players of the zone group; and

transmit the zone group configuration to a first player of a zone in the zone group to facilitate synchronized playback of multimedia content in accordance with the zone group configuration, the zone group configuration identifying at least the first multimedia source and the second multimedia source, and the zone group configuration to include activation of the synchronized playback by players of the zone group automatically at a specified time, the first player determining playback of either the first multimedia source or the second multimedia source in accordance with the zone group configuration.

2. The multimedia controller of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to apply one or more attributes to the zone group as part of the zone group configuration.

3. The multimedia controller of claim 2, wherein the one or more attributes comprises one or more of a) a volume level for audio playback for each zone in the zone group, b) a mute or unmute setting for audio playback, c) a selection and play of specific music, d) a play mode setting, e) an equalization setting for audio playback, and f) an audio alarm.

4. The multimedia controller of claim 1, wherein the zone group comprises a first zone group, and wherein the controller is configured to establish one or more additional zone groups and activate the one or more additional zone groups along with the first zone group in accordance with a zone scene associated with the plurality of zone groups.

5. The multimedia controller of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to activate the zone group when at least one of the zones in the zone group is associated with a different zone group.

6. The multimedia controller of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to provide a backup buzzer to be played in event of an audio alarm failure as part of the zone group configuration.

7. The multimedia controller of claim 1, wherein the controller is to facilitate user creation of a zone scene by selecting, via a user interface, one or more of the displayed plurality of zones, each of the one or more displayed plurality of zones graphically represented via the user interface.

8. The multimedia controller of claim 1, further comprising a volume control for individual zones or collectively for the zone group.

9. The multimedia controller of claim 1, wherein the zone group corresponds to a zone scene provided for user selection.

28. The multimedia controller of claim 1, wherein the zone group configuration includes activation of the zone group responsive to a single user command.

31. The multimedia controller of claim 3, wherein the one or more attributes is selected by a user via the display interface.

10. A method of establishing a zone group, the method comprising:

displaying, using a controller, a plurality of zone names for user selection via a display interface, each zone name of the plurality of zone names representing a particular zone that contains at least one player configured for multimedia playback in the particular zone, the plurality of zones including at least a player configured to retrieve a first multimedia output from a first multimedia source or to retrieve a second multimedia output from a second multimedia source, and wherein each player is coupled to a first local area network;

facilitating, using the controller, formation of a zone group by associating at least two of the plurality of zones, the zone group associated with a zone group configuration characterizing the zone group, the zone group configuration identifying players of the zone group; and

transmitting, using the controller, the zone group configuration to a first player of a zone in the zone group to facilitate synchronized playback of multimedia content in accordance with the zone group configuration, the zone group configuration identifying at least the first multimedia source and the second multimedia source, and the zone group configuration to include activation of the synchronized playback by players of the zone group automatically at a specified time, the first player determining playback of either the first multimedia source or the second multimedia source in accordance with the zone group configuration.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising applying, using the controller, one or more attributes to the zone group as part of the zone group configuration.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the one or more attributes comprises one or more of a) a volume level for audio playback for each zone in the zone group, b) a mute or unmute setting for audio playback, c) a selection and play of specific music, d) a play mode setting, e) an equalization setting for audio playback, and f) an audio alarm.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein the zone group comprises a first zone group, and wherein the controller is configured to establish one or more additional zone groups and activate the one or more additional zone groups along with the first zone group in accordance with a zone scene associated with the plurality of zone groups.

14. The method of claim 10, wherein the controller is configured to activate the zone group when at least one of the zones in the zone group is associated with a different zone group.

15. The method of claim 10, further comprising providing a backup buzzer to be played in event of an audio alarm failure as part of the zone group configuration.

16. The method of claim 10, further comprising facilitating user creation of a zone scene by selecting, via a user interface, one or more of the displayed plurality of zones, each of the one or more displayed plurality of zones graphically represented via the user interface.

17. The method of claim 10, further comprising setting a volume control for individual zones or collectively for the zone group.

18. The method of claim 10, wherein the zone group corresponds to a zone scene provided for user selection.

29. The method of claim 10, wherein the zone group configuration includes activation of the zone group responsive to a single user command.

32. The method of claim 12, wherein the one or more attributes is selected by a user via the display interface.

19. A tangible computer readable storage medium including a set of instructions for execution by a processor, the set of instructions, when executed, implement a controller configured to:

display a plurality of zone names for user selection via a display interface, each zone name of the plurality of zones names representing a particular zone that contains at least one player configured for multimedia playback in the particular zone, the plurality of zones including at least a player configured to retrieve a first multimedia output from a first multimedia source or to retrieve a second multimedia output from a second multimedia source, and wherein each player is coupled to a first local area network;

facilitate formation of a zone group by associating at least two of the plurality of zones, the zone group associated with a zone group configuration characterizing the zone group, the zone group configuration identifying players of the zone group; and

transmit the zone group configuration to a first player of a zone in the zone group to facilitate synchronized playback of multimedia content in accordance with the zone group configuration, the zone group configuration identifying at least the first multimedia source and the second multimedia source, and the zone group configuration to include activation of the synchronized playback by players of the zone group automatically at a specified time, the first player determining playback of either the first multimedia source or the second multimedia source in accordance with the zone group configuration.

20. The multimedia controller of claim 19, wherein the controller is configured to apply one or more attributes to the zone group as part of the zone group configuration.

21. The multimedia controller of claim 20, wherein the one or more attributes comprises one or more of a) a volume level for audio playback for each zone in the zone group, b) a mute or unmute setting for audio playback, c) a selection and play of specific music, d) a play mode setting, e) an equalization setting for audio playback, and f) an audio alarm.

22. The multimedia controller of claim 19, wherein the zone group comprises a first zone group, and wherein the controller is configured to establish one or more additional zone groups and activate the one or more additional zone groups along with the first zone group in accordance with a zone scene associated with the plurality of zone groups.

23. The multimedia controller of claim 19, wherein the controller is configured to activate the zone group when at least one of the zones in the zone group is associated with a different zone group.

24. The multimedia controller of claim 19, wherein the controller is configured to provide a backup buzzer to be played in event of an audio alarm failure as part of the zone group configuration.

25. The multimedia controller of claim 19, wherein the controller is to facilitate user creation of a zone scene by selecting, via a user interface, one or more of the displayed plurality of zones, each of the one or more displayed plurality of zones graphically represented via the user interface.

26. The multimedia controller of claim 19, further comprising a volume control for individual zones or collectively for the zone group.

27. The multimedia controller of claim 19, wherein the zone group corresponds to a zone scene provided for user selection.

30. The multimedia control of claim 19, wherein the zone group configuration includes activation of the zone group responsive to a single user command.

33. The multimedia controller of claim 21, wherein the one or more attributes is selected by a user via the display interface.